The Heisman winner is second in the nation completing 73.2 percent of his passes. And he can still do it with his feet, gaining 6.5 yards per carry and scoring five times. (Beth Hall/AP)

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RB: Lache Seastrunk, Jr., Baylor

Lache Seastrunk is averaging just less than 10 yards per carry and is a threat to take it the distance every time he touches it. (Jose Yau/AP)

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RB: Melvin Gordon, So., Wisconsin

Gordon is not the typical Badgers' back. He's rushed for 870 yards on 90 carries—that's a big play waiting to happen. (Andy Manis/AP)

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WR: Sammy Watkins, Jr., Clemson

He’s returned to being that guy that every defender on the field fears and has to account for at all times. He’s averaging 16.2 yards per catch as Tajh Boyd’s No. 1 target. (Rainier Ehrhardt/AP)

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WR Brandin Cooks, Jr, Oregon State

Someone has to catch all of Sean Mannion's passes and Cooks has been the top target. He leads the nation in receiving yards (944) and has 11 touchdowns to go with it. (Dean Hare/AP)

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TE: Jace Amaro, Jr., Texas Tech

Nothing like a steady tight end to help the progression of a young quarterback. Amaro has been just that with 47 receptions for 6606 yards. (Stephen Spillman/Lubbock Avalanche-Journal/AP)

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OT Taylor Lewan, Sr., Michigan

A future first-round pick, Lewan is the anchor of the Wolverines line and has been as good as advertised this season. (Charles Krupa/AP)

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OT Jake Matthews, Sr., Texas A&M

Matthews moved over to replace first-rounder Luke Joeckel and the Aggies haven’t skipped a beat. Someone has to keep Manziel safe and the ground game moving and Matthews is the leader. (Rogelio V. Solis/AP)

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G Cyril Richardson, Sr., Baylor

Yes, QB Bryce Petty is good. Yes, RB Lache Seastrunk is good. They get the headlines, but Richardson is the behind-the-scenes mauler that makes a lot of it happen. (Robert Rogers/Baylor)

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G David Yankey, Sr., Stanford

Yankey is another in a long line of stout Cardinal offensive linemen. He's behind Stanford being considered one of the most physical teams in the country with its power running attack. (Tony Avelar/AP)

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C Hroniss Grasu, Jr., Oregon

The Ducks are third in the nation in rushing with 324.0 yards per game and Grasu is a big reason why. (Don Ryan/AP)

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K Michael Hunnicutt, Sr., Oklahoma

Simply put, Hunnicutt has been excellent. He's made 14 of 15 field goals and that's something Bob Stoops can enjoy. (Sue Ogrocki/AP)

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KR Ty Montgomery, Jr., Stanford

Montgomery has returned 16 kicks this season and two of them have gone the distance. He leads the nation with 37.3 yards per return and is the country's top difference-maker on special teams. (Rick Bowmer/AP)

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DE Vic Beasley, Jr., Clemson

In six games, he has 12 tackles for loss and nine sacks and has given the Tigers bite on the side of the ball they haven’t always had it. (Rainier Ehrhardt/AP)

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DE Michael Sam, Sr., Missouri

Sam has 10 tackles for loss, six sacks and returned a fumble for a score. Count him as one of the main reasons the Tigers are undefeated in Year 2 in the SEC. (Jason Getz/Atlanta Journal-Constitution/AP)

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DT Aaron Donald, Sr., Pittsburgh

Donald leads the nation with 12 tackles for loss in five games and has eight sacks and six QB hurries to go along with it. (Keith Srakocic/AP)

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DT Timmy Jernigan, Jr., Florida State

Jernigan clogs the middle, freeing up teammates to make plays. He has three tackles for loss and a sack for an FSU defense that has allowed seven or fewer points in three games. (Keith Srakocic/AP)

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LB Anthony Barr, Sr., UCLA

Barr is another do-it-all player on this list. He has 10 tackles for loss, four sacks, 26 tackles and two fumble recoveries for the Bruins. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)

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LB C.J. Mosley, Sr., Alabama

The quarterback of the defense, Mosley is counted on to do it all and he delivers. He leads the Crimson Tide with 48 tackles and is seemingly around the ball on every play. (Butch Dill/AP)

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LB Chris Borland, Sr., Wisconsin

One of the nation's top tacklers, Borland has 56 total stops, three tackles for loss and two sacks. (Morry Gash/AP)

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CB Vernon Hargreaves, Fr., Florida

Will Muschamp trusted Hargreaves to not only start but to cover the opponents’ top receivers and he’s been more than up to the task. The freshman has three picks. (James Crisp/AP)

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CB Ifo Ekpre-Olomu, Jr., Oregon

The Ducks aren’t all offense. Well, OK, they’re a lot offense, but Ekpre-Olomu has settled in as the leader on defense. He’s second on the team with 36 tackles, two tackles for loss and an interception. (Elaine Thompson/AP)

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S Ed Reynolds, Sr., Stanford

The senior safety is the Cardinal's No. 2 tackler and a player David Shaw can count on to take care of things on the back end of the defense. (Tony Avelar/AP)

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S Calvin Pryor, Jr., Louisville

What Teddy Bridgewater does for the Louisville offense, Pryor does for the defense. He has 36 tackles, four tackles for loss, two interceptions and has forced two fumbles. (Garry Jones/AP)

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P Tom Hornsey, Sr., Memphis

The senior has been booming them all season. His 24 punts have gone for a 47.0 yard average. (Memphis athletics)

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PR Kevonte Martin-Manley, Jr., Iowa

Martin-Manley has returned nine punts this season and reached the end zone twice. That's a high percentage. His 25.8 yard return average is tops in the nation. (Charlie Neibergall/AP)

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Coach of the half season: Jim Mora, UCLA

Mora has the Bruins on the cusp of the elite. QB Brett Hundley is a superstar in the making and Mora continues creating separation between the Bruins and rival Trojans. (Mark J. Terrill/AP)

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Offensive player of the half season: Johnny Manziel, Texas A&M

So much for all the offseason distractions. The sophomore is completing more passes for more yards and showing that he’s improved from last season’s Heisman-winning year. (Rogelio V. Solis/AP)

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Defensive player of the half season: Vic Beasley, Clemson

The junior defensive end has been disruptive and dominating. He’s second in the nation in sacks and third in tackles for loss. (Rainier Ehrhardt/AP)

He’s passed every test thrown at him so far. He’s completing a high percentage of throws, not turning the ball over, making plays with his feet and, most importantly, leading the Seminoles to victories. (Elise Amendola/AP)

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Defensive freshman of the half season: CB Vernon Hargreaves, Florida

Hard to tell Hargreaves is a freshman. The 5-star recruit was thrown right into the mix at cornerback and has 16 tackles, three interceptions and five pass breakups, serving as the Gators’ top cover man. (Gerald Herbert/AP)